16 
THE meeting of Abbe Moigno’s Salle du Progrés of October 
25 was so crowded that great numbers could not obtain admis- 
sion. He commenced on Monday last a series of scientific 
sotrées, which he hopes may prove permanent. 
Pror, C, A. WuiTE informs us that the report of his paper on 
the Geology of Iowa, read before the American Association for 
the Advancement of Science which we*took from the Wew York 
Tribune, was incorrect in several particulars. There is no 
quartzite in the north-eastern part of fhe State, the Sioux 
quartzite occurring in the north-western corner ; and the stoneless 
area of drift should have been stated at 13,000 to 14,000, instead 
of 20,000 square miles. 
ON the night of July 8 last, the object-glass of the Equatoria 
of the Alleghany Observatory was stolen, as also a few eye- 
pieces belonging to the Transit. It is thought that the object of 
the thief is to try to extort a large reward for its return, but Mr. 
Langley, the director of the Observatory, has resolved not to 
offer a reward, nor guarantee immunity from punishment to the 
culprit. This he deems a duty to others who may have the 
charge of similar instruments. 
THE fifty-sixth session of the members of the Institution of 
Civil Engineers will be commenced on Tuesday, November 12, 
and will be continued thereafter on each succeeding Tuesday, 
with the exception of a short interval at Christmas, till the end 
of May. During the recess, the premises occupied by the Insti- 
tution in Great George Street, Westminster—which were rebuilt 
and greatly enlarged in 1868 —have been elaborately decorated. 
especially the theatre, and additions have been made to the 
- library. The members have been specially urged to contribute, 
for reading and discussion at the evening meetings, well-authen- 
ticated accounts descriptive of executed works in foreign coun- 
tries, in which it is thought British engineering literature is at 
present somewhat deficient. With regard to candidates seeking 
admission into the Institution, the members of all classes have 
been reminded that personal knowledge of the career and antece- 
dents of every candidate is requisite, and only such “should be 
recommended for election as are believed to be in every way 
worthy of the distinction, and willing and able to advance the 
interests of the society. 
Amonc Messrs. Longmans’ annouftcements for the present 
season are the following :—Electricity and Magnetism, by 
Fleeming Jenkins, F.R.SS. L. and E, Professor of Engineering 
in the University of Edinburgh, small 8vo. ; Geometric Turning, 
comprising a Description of the New Geometric Chuck con- 
structed by Mr. Plant, with Directions for its Use, and a Series 
of Patterns cut by it, by H. S. Savory, 1 vol. 8vo., with nu- 
merous illustrations ; Notes on the River Basins of the British 
Isles, by Robert A. Williams, 16mo. ; Physical Geography for 
Beginners, by William Hughes, 18mo. ; Catechism of Zoology, 
by the Rev. J. F. Blake, M.A., fceap. Svo. ; Popular Lectures 
on Scientific Subjects, by Prof. Helmholtz, translated by E, 
Atkinson, 1 yol. 8vo. ; Introduction to Experimental Physics, by 
Prof. Adolf F. Weinhold, translated and edited by Benjamin 
Loewy, F.R.A.S., with a Preface by G. C. Foster, F.R.S., I 
vol. 8vo. ; Handbook of flardy Trees, Shrubs, and Herbaceous 
Plants, based on the French work of Messrs. Decaisne and 
Naudin, and including the original woodcuts by Riocreux and 
Leblanc, iby W. B. Hemsley, 1 vol. 8vo. ; A General System 
of Descriptive and Analytical Botany, translated from the French 
of E. Le Maout, M.D., and J. Decaisne, by Mrs. Hooker, 
edited and arranged according to the English botafical system, 
by J. D. Hooker, M.D., with 5,500 woodcuts, from designs by 
L, Stenheil and A. Riocreux, 1 vol. medium 8vo. 
Tue tenth part of the illustrated quarto publication upon the 
butterflies of North America, by Mr. William H. Edwards, has 
just made its appearance, ‘This should have completed the first 
NATURE 
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volume, but as better specimens have been obtained of several 
species heretofore figured, it ‘is Mr. Edwards’s intention to 
furnish these in a new supplemental ‘number, with title-page 
and indices. This work, in addition to the numerous coloured 
figures and the elaborate descriptions of various species and their 
varieties, contains a synoptic list of North American butterflies, 
embracing 509 species, of which, previous to 1852, only 137 
were known as belonging to North America. Sixty-one species 
were added between 1852 and 1860, and 311 since the latter 
year. There is every reason to believe that, with a thorough 
exploration of other regions of North America, many more will 
be found and added to this number. fe, 
Tue formation in Manchester of a. Society for Promoting 
Scientific Industry is advocated by Mr. Frank Spence, of the 
Pendleton Iron Works. He says, in a letter to the A/anchester 
Guardian, that the proposed society ‘‘ will deal only with 
science in its practical applications—in the selection and perfec: 
tion of all the instruments of production, not excluding the most 
important, and, just now, to many a manufacturer, most em- 
barrassing of them all, the worker.” He refers, as a precedent, 
to the Société Industrielle de Mulhouse, organised, in 1825, for 
**the advancement and propagation of industry, by the assem- 
blage in a central situation of a great number of the elements of 
instruction, by the communication of discoveries and of remark- 
able facts, as well as by the initiation of original investigations, : 
and by all the means which shall suggest themselves to the 
members in order to insure its prosperity and the happy results 
to which it may give rise.” This is an attempt at a movement 
in the right direction. ‘ 
| 
Pror. MarsH, having completed the determination of the 
new species of fossil mammals and birds obtained during the 
Yale College expeditions of the summers of 1870 and 1871, has 
begun upon the reptiles, and has described five new species of 
new genus, which he calls Zéinosaurus. These were large 
carnivorous lizards; resembling the Varanide, or monitors, bt 
differing in certain features pointed out by the professor. 
are all from the tertiary bedsof Wyoming. Other species belong 
to two new genera, Oreosaurus and Tinosaurus, together with a 
q 
new species of a genus, G/y/osaurus, previously indicated. 4 
Dr. Hooker states that the rainfall for October amounted, at 
the Royal Gardens, Kew, to 6°46 inches. Of this no less than 
309 inches was recorded in theflast seven days of the month. 
The rainfall for October registered at the Royal Botanic Gardens, — 
Regent’s Park, seven miles distant from Kew, was 5°25 inches. 
Les Mondes describes a curious experiment of M. R. P. 
Lafond, Take a chameleon top, and place on the centre one of 
the prismatic discs which can be bought with the article, and 
instead of producing the singular optical illusions usually ob 
tained from these discs by means of the fingers (in the same way 
as the ‘‘checked action” of Wheatstone is produced), illumine the 
table with a large Geissler tube. The result is described as 
charming ; the most varied combinations of colours and desig 
succeed each other, without any necessity for touching the 
and consequently destroying the movement of the top. Mo 
over—and this makes the plaything a veritable scientific instru 
ment—we have here a beautiful demonstration that the light of 
the Geissler tubes is intermittent. = Ps 
Harper's Weekly announces the early publication of an im-— 
portant work on American Natural History—the investigation of | 
the Cetaceans of the western coast of North America, by Capt. 
C. M. Scammon of the United States Revenue Marine. This 
gentleman has for many years been directing his attention to the 
subject, and has collected a large amount of material in reference 
to the various species of whales and porpoises of the western 
coast, together with their zoological peculiarities and their 
habits. : 
